Wallasey Golf Club Key Information
Wallasey Golf Club
Wallasey can hold its head up high on England’s golf coast which is packed with more than its fair share of outstanding links. As the dunes come into view on the approach road, you know you are in for a real treat, and this still improving links is blessed with a brilliant topography that runs through some of the best golfing dunes in the country.
Reasons To Play Wallasey
– Experience one of the Top 100’s newest and most welcome additions
– Enjoy golf laid out over some of the finest linksland and dunes in the country
– Aim for 36 points at the home of Stableford!
Rankings
UK & Ireland Top 100 Golf Courses 2023/24 - 89
Wallasey Golf Club is on the north-west coast of England, an area with many premium links. In a stretch that includes three current Open venues - Royal Birkdale, Royal Liverpool and Royal Lytham & St Anne’s, the club can justifiably stand proud. This is undoubtedly one of the best golf courses in Cheshire - or Merseyside if you prefer - and is a welcome addition to the Top 100.
The club dates back to 1891 and its first course was laid out by the godfather of golf course design, Old Tom Morris. While some elements remain, many changes have been made with the current layout largely down to Hawtree and Taylor with additional input from the great James Braid. Golf Monthly’s founding editor, Harold Hilton, also contributed to the evolution, while as recently as 2004, Donald Steel designed three new holes. It was here that Dr Stableford refined his scoring system; the one that gives hope to those of us who struggle with medal play, and better still helps to keep play moving.
With the exception of the three par 5s at the 7th, 13th and 14th, the course plays for the most part through very impressive dunes. Two strong par 4s get you on your way before it really takes off from the 3rd with its gentle climb to a two-tiered green. There are plenty of really interesting holes all the way, with some of the finest views being those from the elevated tee at the par-5 4th. Raised greens are a particular feature at Wallasey and they make correct club selection, not to mention clean execution of the approach, vital.
The 11th, Saddleback, is a thrilling par 4 along a ridge, while the 12th is a wonderful short hole played from an elevated tee to a well-protected green. Your round finishes with an exceptional par 4 that is a very fitting climax to a really interesting round. You can either try and hit a long drive over the dunes to the right or take the shorter option to the left which will leave a longer approach. The distinctive church spire way in the distance offers a perfect line, and bunkers guard the left and right approaches to the large green which sits right below the patio outside the historic and characterful clubhouse.
Wallasey is future-proofing via an array of sympathetic improvements to its already very fine course. An ambitious program of work was accelerated by various lockdowns and is already paying dividends. This included the removal of red shale paths replaced with natural grass, new tee complexes, a dozen bunkers redesigned to blend into the natural topography, as well as substantial tree clearance. Ongoing is the reinstatement of natural dune grasses helping to open up views of the Snowdonia mountain range, Liverpool bay and the Irish Sea. Wallasey is now up there with the best links golf courses in England and is great fun all the way.
What The Top 100 Panel Said
What also stands out is the intricate use of the large dunes to frame each hole. A welcome return to a links gem. Improvements all around are adding to the appeal.
The elevation changes and dunes are worked into the design brilliantly and provide for some exhilarating tee and approach shots. There are some really good holes which you’ll remember long after your visit, and work is being done to further improve the course.
The welcome from the staff was excellent and I got a feeling of pride from the members. This is very much a traditional club, and I feel it would be a good addition to any golf trip to the area. The view from the 4th tee alone is worth the green fee.
A heretofore hidden gem, now emerging from the shadows of its more famous siblings to shine in its own right. To my mind, this is the quintessential members course in the area. Eminently playable, but not lacking in thrills along the round.
Wallasey Golf Club Location
Wallasey Golf Club Green Fees
Wallasey Golf Club Scorecard
Best Courses Near To Wallasey
Best Places To Stay Near Wallasey Golf Club
The Adelphi Hotel, Liverpool - Book now via Booking.com
Built in 1826, The Adelphi Hotel has original period features including chandeliers and marble halls. The restaurant serves French cuisine, while Jenny’s Bar and Carvery has a cocktail bar. The Overstuffed Pizzeria offers an Italian menu.
The Liver View, Birkenhead - Book now via Booking.com
With several rooms offering an excellent view of The River Mersey, there is a bar, pool table and conservatory, and a full English breakfast is served each morning in the dining room.
Wallasey Golf Club Gallery
Historical Top 100 Rankings UK&I
- 2023/24 New Entry
Frequently Asked Questions
What kind of course is Wallasey?
Wallasey is a traditional links that is blessed with great dunes, but which has also moved with the times. The holes added by Donald Steel continued the evolution, and this is now one of the very best links in an area already packed with several of the very best such courses.
Why wasn’t Wallasey in the Top 100 before?
The course has been the beneficiary of regular, sympathetic and accelerated improvement over the last three or four years that have really made the difference. As we have said many times before, courses that do not grow and improve are usually overtaken.
Which is the best hole at Wallasey?
There are plenty of holes with great character, but the opening par 5, the 4th, is an absolute cracker. Played from an elevated tee with panoramic views, it is the toughest hole on the course.
